How Was I To Know?
by OregonSweetie
Summary: Just a short little one shot about Brooke and Haley. Contains spoilers from upcoming episodes. A little bit of NH.


This is just a little one-shot I was inspired to write on my plane ride home from Wilmington. This contains spoilers from upcoming episodes, so if you don't want to know the spoilers then I would suggest you hold off reading this particular fic until after 4.17 has aired. For those of you waiting for an update on Anything For You, I promise it's on its way. After some stuff that happened in my life recently I just need to get this one out first. Look for an update of AFY by the end of the week. This is dedicated to the TBL Crew! Who needs the rest of the world when we have each other? Love you guys! Hope you all enjoy!

**How Was I To Know?**

_This is what I thought, I thought you need me_

_This is what I thought, so think me naïve_

Haley sat outside and left the lukewarm Texas air was over her. It had been one crazy year and it appeared that the hits just kept on coming. She sighed as she allowed herself to think back to the conversation she had had with Brooke about ten minutes earlier.

Brooke had been acting strange the entire trip but Haley figured the weirdness was due to the ever lingering affects of the sex tape. The sex tape may well have been on Brooke's mind but it definitely wasn't the only thing on her mind this weekend.

**Flashback**

"_Hales, can I talk to you for a minute? An almost timid looking Brooke asked as she approached the table where Haley was currently sitting with Nathan._

"_Sure Brooke, what's up?" Haley said lifting her head off of Nathan's shoulder, giving Brooke her full attention._

"_Uhh...could we maybe do this in a private?" Brooke asked wringing her hands together. Haley furrowed her brow as she drank in the totally un-Brooke like mannerisms that were currently on display._

"_Umm...sure Brooke."_

"_Great. I saw a courtyard outside and it's not too cold, so we can talk there."_

_Haley turned and gave Nathan a kiss on the cheek assuring him that she was fine. She slipped out of her seat and turned to follow Brooke who was looking paler by the second. Once they were outside, Haley waited patiently for Brooke to talk. But after a minute it didn't look like Brooke was going to talk anytime soon._

"_Brooke if this is about the tape, I'm honestly fine. I wish you would have told me that you slept with Nathan but I guess I understand why you didn't."_

"_It's not about the tape," Brooke whispered quietly. She raised her head slowly to meet Haley's eyes. Her green eyes were already brimming with tears. She knew what was at stake here but she still didn't feel right not telling Haley about what she had done._

_Haley's concern for Brooke was mounting by the second. Sure she hadn't been happy with her lately but that didn't mean that she still didn't worry about Brooke. Brooke was one of her best friends. She was a true friend. She was the one who was there to pick Haley up when she needed it the most. Haley knew that she would do whatever she needed to in order to help Brooke with whatever she was going through. _

"_I helped Rachel steal the test Haley. I was the one who cheated, not her." And with those few words that part of her world came crashing down._

_Haley blinked a few times and then started looking around for the hidden cameras that she was sure were around there somewhere. This was Brooke, her best friend Brook, there was no way that she would betray her like that._

"_I'm so sorry Haley." Brooke's voice cut through her thoughts. "I didn't know that I was failing calculus because Rachel had taken my report card. So, she told me the night of your accident and she had already taken your key. I didn't steal the test then, I actually studied but I still only got a D and I have to have this class in order to graduate. I didn't know what else to do. So, Rachel and I went into the tutor center and stole the test using a copy of the key that she originally stole. I know it was wrong Haley and I never thought that you would get fired from tutoring. I really did try and study and I really wanted to tell you because I really don't want you to hate Rachel for something that I did."_

_Haley listened to Brooke's story and as she did, she swore the walls of the courtyard started closing in on her. She felt herself get lightheaded and remembered that she had to breathe which was increasingly difficult as she felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. She knew she should stay calm for hers son but at that moment rational thoughts were hard to come by. Haley swept a tired hand over her face, this was supposed to be a good night for her and Nathan.. The two of them enjoying their time together before their son was born._

"_Haley, please say something." Brooke pleaded cutting through the empty silence that had filled the space between them since Brooke's confession._

"_I honestly don't know what to say to you Brooke. I really thought that you were different than this. You are so loyal Brooke. Why would you choose to screw me over like this?"_

"_I never meant to Haley."_

"_You may not have started out to Brooke but the fact is that you did. I would have done anything for you Brooke. I would have spent every single minute of free time I had to make sure you passed that class. But you didn't come to me for help and I know I was dealing with a lot but I expected more from you Brooke." _

_Haley's voice remained eerily calm throughout her entire speech but a few tears had found their way down her cheeks breaking the illusion of her strong facade. _

"_Haley you have to know how sorry I am. I mean really truly sorry."_

"_You lied to me Brooke. I asked you about the test and you said you didn't have anything to do with it. Now you let me be blindsided by it. Why? Brooke, I have to know why you would do this to me. I thought you were my friend." _

_Haley was now sobbing and she knew that her pregnancy hormones were getting the best of her but she couldn't bring herself to care. In that moment she couldn't remember a time when she had ever felt more betrayed. Life was messy, that was a given, but this was more than she could fathom. This was a person that she had invested part of herself in and they had managed to take way one of the things she loved. _

_Haley gave her head a solid shake in an attempt to clear it. She could still feel the tears rolling down her face and she knew that Brooke was crying too. Haley knew in the depths of her heart that Brooke was sorry but somehow knowing that truth only made it hurt worse._

"_Hales, please talk to me. I never wanted to hurt you. I was being stupid when I stole the test but we all do stupid things, right? Haley I didn't know that things would turn out like they have and if I could take it back I would." Brooke's tone matched Haley's. Both girls were hurting but for different reasons. _

"_I know Brooke. I do know but right now I can't be around you. I truly understand that you are sorry but that doesn't change what you did. I am going to need some time Brooke. I'm not going to turn you in to Turner because I could never hurt you like that Brooke, especially not when it would be intentional. Can you just give me a little space please?"_

_Brooke nodded her head and began to walk away. "Thanks Haley," she said over her shoulder. Brooke passed Nathan right before she got to the gym entrance. He noticed her tears but she just shook her head sadly. "I would give her a few minutes, Nate."_

So, Nathan waited before walked over to Haley. He had watched her as she stood next to the fountain and finally sat down on the bench. She was beautiful even when she was sad and lost in thought. Nathan walked over and sat on the bench next to his wife. She laid her head on his shoulder but said nothing. He waited patiently, trusting Haley to tell him in her own time.

"Brooke stole the test," she finally said. His eyebrows raised but he said nothing. "How could she do that?"

"I don't know Hales," he said, softly stroking her hair. "But you tow will work through this because you are one of the most forgiving people in the world. And if anyone would know that, it would be me."

"What if we can't work through it?"

"You will. But if by some freak thing you don't then you will always have me. I may not be good at the whole shopping thing but I'll be your best friend if you need me to be."

"You are so much more than my best friend already but thank you for the offer." Haley sighed and closed her eyes thinking about how quickly things change.

"Don't worry Hales, it will all work out."

Haley smiled knowing in her heart that everything would work out, no matter if it was the way she thought it would or not.

_Goodbye, So Long, Farewell_

_I Won't Be Seeing You Again_


End file.
